Canned tuna in water: calories, protein, vitamins
USDA FoodData Central data, retrieved October 2026 · state: as eaten
Canned tuna in water: 86 kcal, 19.4 g protein, 1 g fat and 0 g carbohydrate per 100 g. A typical portion is 1 small can, drained (85 g): about 73 kcal. Below you will find a table with the share of the daily reference, a comparison with five similar foods and where the numbers come from.
- High in selenium · 128%
- High in vitamin B12 · 106%
- High in vitamin B3 (niacin) · 68%
- High in protein · 39%
- High in vitamin B6 · 25%
- High in phosphorus · 20%
- Good source of iron · 13%
- Low in carbohydrate
| Nutrition | per 100 g | % daily value | portion (85 g) | % daily value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 86 kcal | 4% | 73 kcal | 4% |
| Protein | 19.4 g | 39% | 16.5 g | 33% |
| Fat | 0.96 g | — | 0.82 g | — |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g | — | 0 g | — |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0% | 0 g | 0% |
| Sugar(limit) | 0 g | 0% | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated fat(limit) | 0.21 g | 1% | 0.18 g | 1% |
| Sodium(limit) | 247 mg | 11% | 210 mg | 9% |
| Selenium | 70.6 µg | 128% | 60 µg | 109% |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.55 µg | 106% | 2.17 µg | 90% |
| Vitamin B3 (niacin) | 10.1 mg | 68% | 8.62 mg | 57% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.32 mg | 25% | 0.27 mg | 21% |
| Phosphorus | 139 mg | 20% | 118 mg | 17% |
| Iron | 1.63 mg | 13% | 1.39 mg | 11% |
| Vitamin D | 1.2 µg | 8% | 1.02 µg | 7% |
| Zinc | 0.69 mg | 7% | 0.59 mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 0.08 mg | 7% | 0.07 mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 179 mg | 6% | 152 mg | 5% |
Typical portion: 1 small can, drained, 85 g, about 73 kcal. % daily value is for a reference adult (average of men and women); "limit" marks a daily limit, not a target. "High" starts at 20% per 100 g.
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Calories from a photoThese are general estimates generated from published formulas, not a medical prescription. Not reviewed by a doctor or registered dietitian.
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Every number on this page (calorie targets, macro splits and any suggested meal plan) is produced by formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor for basal metabolic rate, standard activity multipliers) or, for AI-generated meal plans, by a language model applying those same formulas. On meal-plan pages the carbohydrate figure for each meal is calculated by difference: total calories minus protein and fat calories, divided by 4. It is not measured or estimated on its own, so read it as an arithmetic balance and not as an independent nutritional analysis of the dish. None of it is individualized medical or nutritional advice, and none of it has been reviewed by a registered dietitian, physician or other licensed healthcare professional.
Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what is right for you before starting a new diet, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a diagnosed medical condition, take prescription medication, or have a history of disordered eating. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your clinician before raising protein.
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Calorie and BMR estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990).
Generated: October 2026
Also searched as: canned tuna, tuna in water.
About this food: Canned tuna in water
This entry is light tuna in water with the liquid drained off, so it describes only the flesh. At 19.4 g of protein and 1 g of fat per 100 g it comes to 86 kcal, which is why canned tuna is such a common lean filler for sandwiches and salads. A small drained can of 85 g gives about 16.5 g of protein for 73 kcal.
Drain it before weighing. The weight printed on the label usually includes the liquid, and some brands print the drained weight in smaller type beside it. If you tip the whole can in and log the label weight, you count water as food. Pressing the flesh against the lid squeezes out a little more.
Brands differ. White albacore usually carries more fat than light tuna, and tuna in sunflower oil is a different entry altogether. Check the sodium line on the can: canned fish is salted, so a salad often needs no extra salt. In Ukraine tuna typically goes with boiled egg and sweetcorn or into a sandwich with cucumber, and mayonnaise supplies most of the added calories. Do not leave an opened can in the tin; move the rest to a covered dish and keep it in the fridge for about two days.
What it is high and low in
Canned tuna in water is high in selenium (128%), vitamin B12 (106%), vitamin B3 (niacin) (68%), protein (39%), vitamin B6 (25%) and phosphorus (20%) per 100 g (share of the daily reference in brackets). It is a good source of iron (13%).
It is low in carbohydrate (up to 5 g per 100 g) and fat (up to 3 g per 100 g). The rule is the same for every food: "high" means at least 20% of the daily reference in 100 g, "good source" means 10-19%. For protein it takes at least 8 g per 100 g and a fifth of the calories from protein.
How it compares with similar foods
We compared canned tuna in water with the five foods in our table that are closest in composition (Baked cod, Cooked pollock, Baked halibut, Canned pink salmon and Crab sticks (surimi)), per 100 g.
Rank among the six: Protein (1 = most): 5th of 6; Calories (1 = fewest): 1st of 6; Carbohydrate (1 = fewest): 1st of 6. The order is computed from the USDA values, so it moves if the table changes.
| Food | kcal | protein | fat | carbs | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canned tuna in water | 86 | 19.4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Baked cod | 105 | 22.8 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooked pollock | 111 | 23.5 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Baked halibut | 111 | 22.5 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Canned pink salmon | 138 | 23.1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Crab sticks (surimi) | 99 | 15.2 | 0.9 | 6.9 | 0 |
All values per 100 g.
Where the numbers come from
The values on this page come from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (entry 173709: "Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)"). It is the US government's reference database and its data is public domain (CC0). We retrieved it on October 4, 2026 and show it per 100 g of the food in the stated state (as eaten). When USDA reports no value for a vitamin or mineral we write "no data", never zero.
The daily value column compares each amount with a reference adult: the average of the adult male and female values in the US and Canada Dietary Reference Intakes (age 19-30), a 2,000 kcal day and 50 g of protein. Sodium (2300 mg), sugar (90 g of total sugars, the EU reference intake) and saturated fat (22 g, under 10% of calories) are limits, not targets. These are general guides for healthy adults, not medical advice.
The portion weight matches one of USDA's own household measures for this entry.
Calorie and nutrient questions
How many calories are in 100 g of canned tuna in water?
86 kcal per 100 g, with 19.4 g protein, 1 g fat and 0 g carbohydrate. A typical portion (1 small can, drained, 85 g) has about 73 kcal.
How much protein is in canned tuna in water?
100 g has 19.4 g of protein, which is 39% of a 50 g daily reference, and a typical portion (85 g) has 16.5 g. Protein supplies 90% of its calories.
Which vitamins and minerals does canned tuna in water contain?
The most per 100 g, as a share of the daily reference: selenium 70.6 µg (128%); vitamin B12 2.55 µg (106%); vitamin B3 (niacin) 10.1 mg (68%); vitamin B6 0.32 mg (25%). Every other tracked vitamin or mineral is under 10% or has no USDA value.